MTI Concert Dance Announces Licensing of Choreographic Works by José Limón
Company:
CUNY Dance Initiative
MTI Concert Dance, a division of Music Theatre International, announced today that the company has entered an agreement to exclusively license a series of works created by renowned choreographer José Limón to professional companies, the second choreographer’s works to be included in the MTI catalogue. More than 60 ballets and theatre dance works by Jerome Robbins were the first choreographic works to be licensed by MTI Concert Dance in September, 2024.
“Just as MTI has actively kept musical theater classics alive and thriving, they will use those same talents to sustain the legacy and artistic vision of choreographers worldwide in a way that has never been attempted before.” – Allen Greenberg, Trustee of The Robbins Rights Trust
MTI Concert Dance aspires to license choreographed works from well-known creators across many genres of dance. Launched in March 2024, MTI Concert Dance helps sustain and grow the legacy of choreographers, their works, and the transcendent power of dance for future generations of dance artists and audiences. Led by dancer, choreographer, and educator Elizabeth Parkinson, MTI Concert Dance is the first organization of its kind to work directly with choreographers and dance companies to license copyrighted works to organizations around the world. As a result, the choreographer’s legacy and brand are completely supported, developed, and protected.
Limón works licensed by MTI include: Chaconne; A Choreographic Offering; Concerto Grosso; Dances for Isadora; Danzas Mexicanas; The Emperor Jones; The Exiles; La Malinche; Mazurkas; Missa Brevis; The Moor's Pavane; Orfeo; Psalm; Scherzo; There is a Time; The Traitor; The Unsung; The Waldstein Sonata; and The Winged. The José Limón Dance Foundation will continue managing educational and non-professional licenses directly.
“I first encountered the works of José Limón as a young dancer with the Joffrey Ballet. Robert Joffrey aspired to present historically important works in every season, and The Moor’s Pavane was a highly anticipated staple in our repertory,” said Elizabeth Parkinson. “I am forever grateful for the opportunity I was given to observe these passionate performances from the wings of New York City Center, and am honored to now represent and advocate for the works of José Limón.”
“I was once backstage warming up when Sylvie Guillem—who was sharing the bill with the Limón Company—came up to me and told me about one of her earliest dance memories. She described standing outside the studio, watching Rudolf Nureyev learn the role of the Moor in Limón’s The Moor’s Pavane. She said she had never been so deeply moved by a work, and that Limón’s choreography is among the most important of the 20th century—work that must never stop being performed. As you can imagine, that has stayed with me since and now this historic partnership brings together the 70-year legacy and global reach of MTI with the 80-year legacy and global reach of José Limón, ensuring that the work of both organizations continues to inspire and connect the greatest dancers and companies, generation after generation,” said Dante Puleio, artistic director, Limón Dance Company.
Additional information about MTI Concert Dance can be found here.
José Limón was one of the most prominent American choreographers in modern dance. His powerful choreography often focused on human drama, incorporating themes from literature, history, or religion. Throughout his career, Limón worked to change the image of the male in dance and bring it to a new stature and recognition. Born in 1908 in Culiacan, Mexico, Limón moved to the United States with his family when he was seven years old. He became interested in dance at the age of twenty, after moving to New York City to study painting. He began his studies with pioneer modern dancers Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman, and was soon invited to join their company. In 1946 he founded his own company. Limón is best known for his masterpiece, The Moor's Pavane, based on Shakespeare's Othello. He choreographed over 74 other works, including The Traitor, The Exiles, There is a Time, Chaconne, Emperor Jones, Carlota, Dances for Isadora, and The Unsung. José Limón died on December 2, 1972.
Founded in 1946 by José Limón and Doris Humphrey, the Limón Dance Company has been at the vanguard of American Modern dance since its inception and is considered one of the world’s greatest dance companies. Choreographer and dancer José Limón is credited with creating one of the world’s most important and enduring dance legacies— an art form responsible for the creation, growth and support of modern dance in this country. Today, the José Limón Dance Foundation continues his work through two entities: the Limón Dance Company, an international touring repertory company, and the Limón Institute, an educational and archival resource organization. Acclaimed for its dramatic expression, technical mastery and expansive, yet nuanced movement, the Limón Dance Company illustrates the timelessness of José Limón’s work and vision. The Company’s repertory, which includes classic works in addition to new commissions from contemporary choreographers, possesses an unparalleled breadth and creates unique experiences for audiences around the world.
Elizabeth Parkinson, Director of MTI Concert Dance, brings unparalleled expertise in professional dance, repertory, and choreography to the world of concert dance licensing. With decades of dance experience working directly with legendary choreographers, Elizabeth incorporates this knowledge into her work.
Elizabeth’s extensive performance background spans some of the dance community’s most prestigious companies—The Joffrey Ballet, Feld Ballets NY, Donald Byrd/The Group, and Twyla Tharp and Dancers—giving her firsthand understanding of how choreographic works are created, owned, and transferred. Additionally, Elizabeth has had direct involvement in the reconstruction and preservation of historical works by choreographic masters including George Balanchine, Frederick Ashton, Vaslav Nijinski, Paul Taylor, and Twyla Tharp. This has given her the foundational knowledge so important to protecting licensing agreements and choreographic authenticity.
Elizabeth’s Broadway credentials include Tony-nominated and Astaire Award-winning performances in Movin' Outand Fosse. She worked closely with the Verdon Fosse Legacy, studying repertory with theatre dance royalty Gwen Verdon and Ann Reinking, and is now a reconstructor for the Legacy. This experience has provided her with crucial insights into how choreographic estates manage their most valuable properties for commercial productions and in educational settings.
Since becoming Director of MTI Concert Dance in 2024, Elizabeth has been working closely with The Robbins Rights Trust, licensing the legendary ballets and theatre dance works of Jerome Robbins to dance companies and educational institutions worldwide. Elizabeth's unique combination of artistic credibility, legal knowledge through practice, and deep relationships within the dance community makes her an invaluable asset in securing, managing, and protecting dance licensing agreements across all markets.
Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world's leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form.
MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 100,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 150 countries worldwide.
MTI is particularly dedicated to arts in education and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior® shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students.
